@ginak, Gina, below are some notes I have made on GERDS:
GERDS
Helpful: *fluid restriction 6 ounces an hour including yogurt ice cream....no eating 3 hours before sleep...no laying on right side when sleeping....anatomically it encourages fluid from stomach to go into lungs.
* Prop up the bed. When you stick blocks under the head of your bed and raise it 6 to 8 inches, gravity will prevent the acids in your stomach from flowing into the esophagus during the night. Tight waistbands can aggravate your GERD symptoms. Wear looser clothing, especially at night. YOU COULD DO THIS .. which a good friend of ours did with his GERDS .. RAISED HIS BED VIA .. read the reviews $18. Home-it Adjustable Bed Risers or Furniture Riser bed lifts in Heights of 8, 5 or 3 Inches Heavy Duty Set of 4 bed riser
https://smile.amazon.com/Home-Adjustable-Risers-Furniture-Heights/dp/B00MH74S16/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1484857546&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=bed+raiser
Hope the above helps a bit! Hugs! Katherine

Heather and @ehliny, I can only speak for myself .. but if I take my Aciphex RELIGIOUSLY early in the day .. I just do not have any GERDS issues .. if I goof up for whatever reason and take it later in the day .. oh pain! For whatever reason I have not seen a correlation between lung flare ups and my GERDS .. hmmm. Interesting how our bodies are so different! Hugs! Katherine

Boomer .. yes it is best to wait IF you are 'stable' with NO mycobacterium colonizing. BUT your statement 'Once on the antibiotics there's no turning back ' is ONLY accurate IF you STOP treatment BEFORE you SHOULD .. ie BEFORE you have had 12 months of negative sputum cultures .. MEANING the antibiotic treatment has WORKED! Meaning you are now 'stable" from the antibiotic treatment.

I myself WAS colonizing .. I DID the antibiotic treatment with VERY bearable side effects .. THAT is why I wrote that initial 2007 post to MAYO CLINIC .. BECAUSE I did not want people to be afraid of the antibiotic treatment. BECAUSE I had read things on the internet that had scared me off treatment until I got a SECOND serious abscessus mycobacterium! I REALLY wish I had gone on the antibiotic treatment initially when I only had ONE mycobacterium .. didn't wait until I had TWO mycobacterium that had to be treated.

So, yes IF the mycobacterium is NOT growing/colonizing .. there is NO reason to begin the antibiotic treatment .. BUT it is imperative for people to do their 'due diligence' .. educate themselves .. AND make sure they continue with their follow up care to make sure they are STILL stable NOT colonizing!! Katherine

Yep...I agree with you and myself that unless the MAC is growing no need to be on antibiotics...And indeed that was my point, that one must stay on the regimen throughout or risk antibiotic resistance. There's also the relapses and for some, being on antibiotics life-long, so for those of us who need no antibiotics yet, I, as others, will stay clear of the antibiotics as long as we can.

I must clarify that if/when my tests come back indicating I've worsened, I must and will do whatever i must to keep my lungs from worsening, and in fact hopefully improving! Side-effects be damned if I get them....bring 'em on! A whole lot better than having my lungs eaten away...!

Boomer, I have a feeling those darn critters wouldnt stand a chance with your Warrior attitude! Go get 'em! Katherine